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Wrestling visits Indiana, hosts Northwestern

January 17, 2014

Wrestling visits Indiana, hosts Northwestern

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestlers (8-0, 2-0 B1G), ranked No. 1 in the nation, are set for a split weekend in Big Ten dual meet action. The Nittany Lions are at No. 19 Indiana (7-4, 0-3 B1G) on Friday, Jan. 17, at 7 p.m. and then return to Rec Hall for a sold out dual with No. 14 Northwestern (6-2, 1-2 B1G) on Sunday, Jan. 19, at 2 p.m.

Penn State is coming off 34-3 win over visiting Purdue on Sunday. Penn State rolled up a pin and four majors while winning nine of ten bouts and posted a 36-2 takedown margin in the victory. The win was Penn State's 13th straight dual meet victory dating back to February of last season and the 16th straight home win dating back to the 2011-12 season.

The Nittany Lions are being led by a balanced line-up featuring ten ranked wrestlers, all listed among the top 15 with six listed in the top four. David Taylor (No. 1 at 165) and Zain Retherford (No. 2 at 141) lead the way with identical 18-0 records while Ed Ruth (No. 2 at 184) checks in at 17-1. Matt Brown (No. 3 at 174) is 18-1 and Nico Megaludis (No. 2 at 125) is 17-2. Junior Dylan Alton (No. 4 at 157) is 7-0 having just returned to dual meet action while brother Andrew Alton (No. 7 at 149) is 4-0 and also just made his dual debut. Morgan McIntosh (No. 7 at 197) sports a 17-2 record while Jimmy Lawson (No. 12 at 258) is 16-2. Jimmy Gulibon (No. 15 at 133) rounds out Penn State's ranked wrestlers with a 9-8 mark.

Indiana comes in ranked No. 19 nationally with a 7-4 overall record. The Hoosiers are led by junior 157-pounder Taylor Walsh who is ranked No. 5 at 157 with a 27-2 overall record and 23 pins. Senior Adam Chalfant is ranked No. 8 at 285 with a 17-2 mark and junior Luke Sheridan sports a 23-7 record at 184 and is ranked No. 18. Ryan LeBlanc is 28-8 at 165 as well.

Penn State leads the all-time series with the Hoosiers 15-0-1. Penn State, which has won the last two, beat IU 52-0 in Rec Hall last season. The Lions won the last meeting in Bloomington, 36-8, on 1/23/11.

Northwestern, ranked No. 14 nationally with a 6-2 mark, is at Ohio State the same night Penn State visits Indiana. The Wildcats are being led by junior heavyweight Mike McMullan, who is No. 4 at 285 with a 4-1 record. Freshman Jason Tsirtsis is 16-3 and No. 4 at 149 as well. Juniors Pierce Harger (No. 9 at 165 with a 17-3 record) and Lee Munster (No. 9 at 174 with a 6-1 mark) give NU four wrestlers ranked among the top ten. Junior Alex Polizzi is 16-4 at 197 and ranked No. 17.

The Nittany Lions lead the all-time series with NU 12-1 and have won the last 10 meetings between the two teams. The last meeting was a 38-3 win at Northwestern on Jan. 13, 2012. Penn State was victorious in the last Rec Hall battle, winning 37-10 on Feb. 5, 2010.

Both the Indiana and Northwestern duals will be BTDN productions, streaming live online via GoPSUsports.com's All-Access channel.

Penn State hosts Illinois on Friday, Jan. 24, at 7 p.m. in its next action. With the full season of Rec Hall duals sold out prior to the start of the campaign, a very limited number of standing room only tickets are available to a few of the remaining Rec Hall duals. People may purchase tickets by calling 1-800-NITTANY or by visiting the Penn State Athletics ticket office located in the BJC. Fans are encouraged to follow Penn State wrestling via twitter at www.twitter.com/pennstateWREST and on Penn State Wrestling's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pennstatewrestling.

UP NEXTPenn State hosts No. 11 Illinois on Friday, Jan. 24, at 7 p.m. in sold out Rec Hall.

ON THE AIRTV - NoneLive Web Video - Both duals are BTDN (via GoPSUsports.com's All-Access)Radio - Full season live on WRSC (103.1 FM/1390 AM) State College; WBPZ 1230 AM Lock Haven; 1370 WWCB Corry; WLAK (103.5 FM) Huntingdon; WMRF (95.7 FM) Lewistown; WIEZ (670 AM) Lewistown. Also live at GoPSUsports.com as part of the All-Access package as are select home duals.